Back To School Made Easy With Master Lock Review And #GIVEAWAY! 9/17

It's official...My baby is growing up, and Mama is getting old! Okay, maybe 30 isn't quite geriatric by any means, but my oldest child has just started Middle School. It seems like it was only yesterday that I was a scared 18 year old bringing her baby home from the hospital, unsure about the future or how to take care of such a tiny, beautiful person. Well the years have flown by, and I now have a sweet and sensitive preteen. I am very proud of the kind-hearted person my son has grown to be.

Last week, my son began his 6th grade career. That's middle school here in Virginia. He was quite nervous, since there are so many changes. From block scheduling to losing recess to having a locker of his own, Middle School is so much different than elementary school. Thankfully, he has seemed to embrace this transition and is enjoying his new venture into young-adulthood.

When helping Kyle prepare for his brand new school, we looked at a lot of ways we could help him make this transition easier so he could walk the new, bigger hallways with confidence. From advice about bullying to note taking strategies, we covered all of our bases. We even touched on keeping his belongings secure. This is where Master Lock can help!

I have worked with the nice folks at Master Lock before, and I was excited to receive the opportunity to review one of their brand new Speed Dial lock. What makes this lock different than traditional locks? It relies on directional movements rather than a traditional rotary dial. So rather than having to remember tricky numerical combinations, all that is needed is a simple Left, Right, Up or Down sequence that can be customized to the pattern of your choosing. This allows for a fast, easy trip to lockers between classes, since all you need to do is input a directional combination.  This is also much more secure than a traditional rotary combination lock, since it features anti-shim technology. There are even stickers that include letters, numbers, shapes and symbols for added customization. Simply place them over the arrows, and you're good to go!

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When we received our Speed Dial lock, I immediately fell in love with the vibrant, fun shade of blue. My son loved it, too! This is no flat, boring blue. It's metallic, and makes me think of a luxury sports car racing down the Autobahn. Definitely a wonderful color choice for teens! Once we got the lock out of the packaging, it was time to set the combination. Please note: It is ESSENTIAL that you read and re-read the instructions on this lock. If you do not closely follow the directions, the lock WILL NOT OPEN. We learned that the hard way. My husband went to set the combination for Kyle, and did so successfully. He followed the instructions carefully, making sure to "set" the lock by pushing down TWICE as if closing the lock to set the combination. Well, this did not work. It took my husband and son hours of playing with the lock to get it to open again. They just happened to stumble upon the combination that would open it. Apparently, he did something wrong when setting the combination initially. There is no easy reset for this lock. There is no optional keyed entry, either. So when purchasing the Master Lock Speed Dial Lock, PLEASE understand that you MUST pay very close attention while setting the combination. Otherwise, you might just be left with a very attractively colored paper weight!

Despite our initial lock emergency, we were thrilled with the performance of this lock. My son brought it to school with him, and is using it on his PE locker since his normal locker already has a lock built into it. He has indicated that it is very easy to open and he is in and out of his PE locker before most of the other boys can even open their combinations. As a matter of fact, a few of the boys in Kyle's class asked him where he got such a cool lock. What did he say? "Because my mom has the coolest job in the world!" That made me feel good. It's nice to know my efforts are appreciated by my family. So I told Kyle to tell the boys that it's a Master Lock Speed Dial lock, and they can be found just about anywhere that padlocks are sold.

So while we had some initial issues with the Master Lock Speed Dial lock, it has proven to be easy to use, effective, and super secure. It also saves my new middle-schooler valuable time when changing clothes before and after gym class. The only thing I would change? I would definitely find a way to incorporate a keyed lock, just in case the combination is set incorrectly. Even when paying close attention to the instructions, it is easy to slip up and render the lock useless. I feel an alternate opening method would make this lock so much more dependable and extend the life of the lock. Luckily, a persistent and guilty feeling husband was able to open the lock after hours of playing with it. He got lucky, since with so many possible sequences, finding the right one was quite a daunting task. So while I would definitely recommend the Master Lock Speed Dial, I cannot stress enough that you must read the instructions and be 100% confident BEFORE setting your combinations.

MASTER LOCK SPECIAL PROMOTION ALERT:

You can purchase this and other Master Lock products at many retailers near you, as well as online!

You can also connect with them on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions.

Master Lock also has a HUGE giveaway event going on until September 16th! There are DAILY PRIZES to be won, just in time for back to school!

The Master Mind, a suave and funny college grad, will be introduced to fans on the Master Lock® Facebook page beginning July 18 via a humorous online video series in which he, along with his clever Little Sister, will set out to answer students' most frequent, awkward and perplexing questions. Master Lock also invites students and parents to submit their own questions to the Master Mind and participate in a daily sweepstakes through September 16 at www.Facebook.com/MasterLock for a chance to win back-to-school must-haves, including popular Master Lock school and campus security products to help families prepare for the upcoming school year.

What are some of the prizes? Prizes include back-to-school essentials for any student, such as an iPad®, high-end ear buds, messenger bag or backpack, bank gift cards and Master Lock® security products. Fans can enter daily, including weekends, and all entrants will automatically be entered in a grand prize sweepstakes for the ultimate back-to-school prize pack valued at $2,500, to be drawn on September 19.

For official rules, click HERE.

WIN IT:

One very lucky follower will receive a Master Lock Speed Dial lock of their own! How cool is that?!

Please use this handy Rafflecopter form to enter!

This giveaway is open to US Residents 18+ until 12:01AM EST on 9/17/2011. Winners will be chosen at random and will be announced here, tweeted, shared on Facebook, and contacted via e-mail. The winners will have 48 hours to reply and claim their prize. If I receive no response, I will be forced to draw a new winner.

***Disclosure:I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***